Alone

[Wayne23]

3/5: We are the #3 seed. We play #6 Cal ST-Fullerton, 12-17, 7-9, in the quarters. Beat them by 21 here, 4 there.
Solution to the first cryptoquote:
Roses are red
But I am green
Something you may
Or may not have seen

Solution to the 2nd:
Green I am
Green I be
In the holo
You will find me

3/6: 91-75. 50-36 at the half. We coasted from there. 18, 6 for Mato, 18, 6 for Masi, 14, 8, 6 for Main. +18 RBs.

#7 seed Long Beach ST, 12-18, 6-10, upset #2 Cal Poly. We won in OT and lost by 8 so we'd better show up!

We were the only favorite to win so the gate is open!

Another cryptogram:

KLLNK MP NL
OPQ MSO MPP RTSU
VPPW TSPQXU
SLVTY OPQS ZQTSU

3/7: 84-76. Tied at the half. 20 for Main, who is having a great tournament. +8 RBs but 21 TOs.

#8 seed UC-Irvine, 10-21, 4-12, for the title after they managed 2 upsets; yay Emma! We won by 2 there, 25 here.

3/8: 79-69 and the title! It was close for most of the 1st half. 26, 7 for Mato, 18, 5 for tourney MOP Herb Main. +12 RBs.

I think we'll get around a #13 seed. Could be higher.

3/12: #13 West. We play #4 seed, #16 ranked ST Mary's, 25-9. They're stronger outside but we're stronger inside. If we take care of the ball we have a shot.

3/17: 52-67. They jumped all over us right from the start. The score is closer than the game was. +9 RBs and only 13 TOs, but we shot 31.7%, mostly due to excellent D.

We lose Main, Best, and Mean to graduation.

Another cryptogram:

RQP'ON MQL KNLLJMK
LQ LIN LOHJG
FPL RQPO EIQPGCNO
LQ LIN OHJG

4/3: #2 Arizona wins it all.

No one got it for the past two weeks so another cryptogram:

BCD EFG HIJ KJ
LKMM EFG JNE
KJ'O CPFGJ CJ
JQI QIKHQJ FR EFGN IEI

4/4: Awards: Herb Main and Aqui Mato make Big West 1st team. I am conf COY.

Not likely that I'd move again so soon.

4/9: Staying here.

No one is getting the Hunt clues.

4/23: I ask for a facilities upgrade.

No.

24-9, Big West champs. Overall, 91-37, .711 for 4 seasons.

And another cryptogram:

WVUUT, SRQR, WPOVN
MSRPQN LU UTRPWS
VOKQ, UJU, SOVN
IQUTHJ RG MHPGG

Spoiler alert: cryptograms solved on May 1.

[Wayne23]

5/1: Recruiting class #49.

Moving to Mountain West. BIG jump, Conf Prestige of 52 vs. 28.

Crypto solutions (Hunt #4 item solved after #6):

#3:
Seems to me
You try too hard
Look around
Relax your guard

#4:
You're not getting
To the trail
Put your shoulder
to the rail

#5:
Can you get it
Will you try
It's about at
The height of your eye

#6:
Green, holo, guard
Should be enough
Rail, eye, hard
Plenty of stuff.

And that did it for me. The answer?

After you enter the holo there's a little entry way where you go to the computer and punch in the program you want brought up. You then go to the door to enter the actual holo chamber. The door has a guard rail you push to open the door. Running along the rail is a green stripe. That's it, the green stripe on the guard rail.

Two for me!

#5: The clue is a math substitute:
123 4 523 523
123 4 523 566
7415 891 092
64^0 891 *6

6/5: Mo Good left the program. Something happened with him though and he wasn't the player that he used to be. I don't think he would have played much.

We have a spot for a transfer.

Math sub #2:
111 111 111
222 222 222
314'52 672 8190
^'* 672 023

6/16: We get a very good looking PG from ST Johns.

6/26: 3 scholarships. We'll take 2 and 1 either way.

7/1:
Math sub #3:
12234 512234
212234 245
678 970'5 245 15
678'^4 *33 945

7/21: Things have been going smoothly. The construction projects are on schedule. The extra guards are keeping the big cats and the bear-like animals at bay, barely. The robotic cats are keeping the rodents out of the buildings.

8/1: A few recruits are showing interest.

Math sub #4
123'45 67 856
123'45 699 057
123 ^6*'7 855
0#67 123 8#239 >57

8/14: Still some interest, not sure if it will be enough.

No one has solved the latest clue. Spoiler alert, solutions to math subs #1-4 on 8/21.

[Wayne23]

8/21: We offer to a PG, an SG, and a C.

Solutions to Math subs and it is solved after #4

#1
Rub a dub dub
Rub a dub dee
Hard for you
Easy for me

#2
OOO OOO OOO
EEE EEE EEE
You're the lock
I'm the key

#3
Iggle tiggle
Giggle get
You won't get it
You're all wet

#4
You're at sea
You're all wet
You can't see
What you should get

And the solution:

Frankly, now that I see all the clues we should have gotten this one a lot sooner.

The key for the ignition for the boat. Emma figured it out.

9/1: Scavenger hunt item #6:

Poem:

Green again
Again it's green
Very very
Often seen

9/18: We get an SG, our #1, #75.

We're going to the Hawaiian Shootout. Or more like hosting it.

Clue #2 for Hunt item #6:

I'll keep it quite short
Just be a good sport
I don't need to hide
With you at my side

9/25: We get a PG, #219. We need the big guy.

10/2: 1st day of practice. We're picked to finish 2nd in the Mountain West.

Clue #3:

Order in the court
The old judge said
You heard my orders
It's green, not red

(Solution next)

And Jed immediately posted: Sport, court, side... It's the U. Of Hawaii green uniform shirt.

And it is!

10/6: A Riddle for #7

I'm bigger than an apple
I'm smaller than a tree
If you see me coming 'round
Get away from me.

Len immediately guessed: "A big cat."

Wrong.

(Solution next)

Jed guessed: "a bear-like animal."

Correct. Two in a row for Jed. He and I are tied with 2. The other three have one each.

10/9: We get the C, #119.

10/23: A cryptogram, item #8:

ABCDE'F GDHF FAJI KBL
JE NBEL BEM NBEL B MBL
GDDHJED PJEM QG GHBF
RSIF MQE'F PEQK KADTD J'N BF

11/13: About ready to start the season.

Cryptogram #2:

ZYXXW, VU'T SRQSPT ZYXXW
XDXYPUNVWZ QX'OX TXXW
YXMUSWZRX, WLU S TKJSYX
NVU VU, V ILW'U MSYX

(Spoiler alert: Solutions to the 1st 2 clues on 11/16)

[Wayne23]

11/16: 87-68 at Army to start the season. Close for a half. 18, 14, 4 for C Aqui Mato, 22, 6 for PF Ram Masi, 16, 3, 4 for SG Phil Bann, 14, 4, 6 for PG Greg Houk.+26 RBs.

Hawaiian Shootout next, vs. #1 seed, #12 ranked Ohio ST. We're the #8 seed.

Cryptogram #1:

Haven't felt this way
In many and many a day
Feeling kind of flat
Just don't know where I'm at

Cryptogram #2:

Green, it's always green
Everything we've seen
Rectangle, not a square
Hit it, I don't care

11/18: 71-90. They were the better team. We tried our best but just aren't at their level. -13 RBs. 19, 7 for Mato, 14, 8 for Masi.

11/20: My recruits all signed.

11/23: 86-68 over Missouri ST here. 46-26 at the half. 23, 3, 5 for Houk, 17, 13 for Masi, 18, 7, 11 for Bann. +13 RBs, 11 TOs.

Mato banged up a hip. He'll play in our next but probably limited minutes.

11/26: 64-46 at Grand Canyon. Low scoring game. Good D or poor shot selection? We shot 37.7%, they shot 34%. 20, 4, 3 for Houk. 12 TOs. It wasn't pretty but it was an easy win.

Clue #3:

LMN OPMQ RN MLR LS TMUNVOU
OPNW XYRXWU PXZN UTA YNQU
ULBN VXM CN DETON EUNSEY
ULBN YXW UBXYY GLTMH NQQU

11/30: 78-60 over Cal-Poly here. It was a real battle for 25 minutes or so. Then we started working harder to get open, the shots fell, and we took off. 17, 11 for Mato, 13, 8 for Bann, 12 each for Masi and SF Josh Shay.

Things have been going smoothly regarding construction and we seem to have "pest control" working well. The big cats and bears remain a danger.

My mood has been really good since the Scavenger Hunt started. It's great fun! Can't wait for the murder mystery that will follow it, but not in a hurry for the Hunt to end.

12/3: 90-73 over NC Central here. We led all the way. 14, 11, 5 for Mato, 18 each for Masi and Houk, 16, 5, 4 for Bann, 14 for sub F/C Tony Trax.

5-1, RPI #63.

Clue #4:

CD FDFE GHF HIJKL MNOP MIKLFH
OPGO DIJ QIKONKJF OI RSJKLFH
QICF IK DIJ TIO DIJH QJF
OPF HFED NE JU OI DIJ

(Spoiler alert: Clues 3 and 4 and solution to #8 after 12/7)

[Wayne23]

12/7: 93-69 over Sam Houston ST here. Mato had 14, 14, 3. 19, 8 for Masi, 18, 3 for Bann.

Mato sprained the index finger on his shooting hand going up for a rebound. He'll miss at least 2 games.

Clue #3:

One thing we know of insects
They always have six legs
Some can be quite useful
Some lay small, round eggs

Clue #4:

My eyes are round with wonder
That you continue to blunder
Come on, you got your cue
The rest is up to you

(SOLUTION COMING NOW)

Emma figured it out. She said she kept thinking about certain things and came up with, flat, felt, green, rectangle, round, six legs, cue, hit it. She said the words to herself over and over and finally came up with: The green felt top of a pool table. Three of us with two solved, two with one solved. Two to go.

12/10: 78-58 at Omaha. 18, 3 for Houk, 14, 3, 5 for Bann, 15, 6 for Masi. Jess Hunt had 7, 10, 3 subbing for Mato. +18 RBs. I was pleased with the win. Mato may be our best player and winning on the road without him is a good thing.

12/14: 87-59 over Bryant here. Balanced scoring, 8 players had between 6 and 18 (backup C/F Tony Trax). +11 RBs, 6 TOs.

We have a week off. Mato will be ready for our next game. We did really well without him!

12/21: 73-74 at James Madison. Tough loss. We led for most of the second half. Then with 30 seconds left and up 73-70, we threw it away. They came down and scored on a back door cut to make it 73-72. We got it back with 12 seconds to go. They fouled and our guy missed the front end of the one and one. They got the RB, came down, and scored on an 8 footer for the win. 5, 7 for Mato, 12, 5 for Bann, 10, 6 for Masi. -4 RBs, only 7 TOs.

Math clue ( ' is an apostrophe, not in code ):

12345 6789 07!#5 ^894!*7+4!
<4'5 6448 #8708 >7 >2#4 2 /7+4!
<4 202#45 289 9!\8#5 <\5 >42
>7 ><4 *!\34 <4'// =\89 ><4 #4~

12/28: 65-60 at Howard. We were down 6 at the half. 18, 12 for Mato, 16, 5, 7 for Bann. +11 RBs, 12 TOs. We played really well in the 2nd half.

1/1/2227: We end pre-conf play at 9-2, RPI #68. +13.4 PPG, +8.9 RBs, -3.6 TOs (A very good 11.9). We have balanced scoring as a team; our top 4 get between 14.6 and 11.3. Mato leads in RBs with 8.5, Masi gets 7.2. Bann gets 4.1 assists, Houk gets 4.0. No one has more than 2.2 TOs.

The Mountain West is a much tougher conference than the Big West so let's see how competitive we can be.

Clue #2:

098 765'7 430 21 098 !4#^
98'7 *#+*57 =8<5 >4#^
49 94+ !*1 98 +*<\ 36
68<9*67 98'## ^<21/ * !~3

(Spoiler alert: answers to clues on 1/2)

[Wayne23]

1/2: 84-71 over Boise ST here. We built a big early lead, as many as 24. 14, 12 for Mato, 19 for Houk, 14, 4 for Masi. +15 RBs but 20 TOs.

Clue #1:

James Bond works undercover
He's been known to take a lover
He awakes and drinks his tea
To the crime he'll find the key

Clue #2:

The spy's out in the cold
He's always very bold
Oh how can he warm up
Perhaps he'll drink a cup
Lana guessed a cup of tea. Wrong.

1/4: 74-90 at New Mexico. Ouch! We stayed close for 25 minutes but then they took over. They shot 53.2%. We had 22 TOs. 24 for Houk, 11, 7, 3 for Masi. Mato fouled out, playing only 14 minutes, and that was a big factor.

1/9: 100-82 over San Jose ST here at home. We pulled away in the last 10 minutes. 27, 7 for Mato, 19, 9 for Masi.

1/11: 88-80 at Wyoming. It was close until the last 3 minutes. 24, 5 for Shay, 17, 1, 8 for Houk, 13, 10 for Mato. -5 RBs, only 9 TOs.

1/13: 81-71 over Nevada here. We led all the way. 20, 4, 3 for Mato. +9 RBs.

1/16: 85-83 at Fresno ST. We led by 13 at the half. They came back and took the lead twice, and then tied it with 14.2 to go. We worked it for a good shot and got one, an 8 footer by Masi for the win. He had 14, 10.

It was an expensive win. Mato broke a finger and is done for the regular season. Masi will shift to C with Trax and Hunt sharing PF and sub time until one of them emerges.

This injury could really drop us down in the standings. 12 games left in conf play and he's not expected to play in any of them, one at the most.

14-3, 5-1, RPI #36. In 1st by 1/2 game over Boise ST. 3 others in the hunt.

Clue #3:

123 4567, 123 8576
9603'6 !1#7 ^988!14+ 8*7 #576
14 8*7 645= , 14 8*7 =14<
=94814+ 85 =9>\ 9+914

[Wayne23]

1/18: 82-71 over Air Force here. 20, 3 for Shay, 18, 6 for Masi.

Trouble with the water filtration system. I can't fix it so I got the holo expert on it and he came up with a solution. I sent a robotic crew to try it. They said it would take a few days to implement the solution and there was no guarantee that it would solve the problem.

1/23: The water filtration fix didn't work. The holo expert came up with Plan B. It will be a few more days. My reserve water supply is good for a few weeks so nothing to worry about in the short term. I can always boil water if it comes to that but it probably won't.

1/25: 83-87 at UNLV. 19 lead changes, 5 ties. In the end they had just a little more. 26, 14 for Shay, 19, 5, 4 for Houk. 21 TOs hurt, including a crucial one in the last minute.

2 way tie for 1st, 1 team 1 back, 3 teams 2 back.

1/27: 80-67 over Colorado ST at the Rainbow Center. We took a big early lead and they never got into it. 23, 8 for Shay, who has really stepped up in Mato's absence. 20, 7, 5 for Houk, 19, 8 for Masi. 7 TOs.

4 of the next 5 are on the road, and that probably spells trouble.

The 2nd fix for water treatment didn't work. The problem is that the real expert is a holo being so he can't go to the site of the problem. I video the equipment from all angles and in all situations but it's not the same. He has another idea, so let's hope.

2/1: 67-84 at San Diego ST. It was tied at the half. It went downhill from there. -13 RBs. 17, 7 for Masi.

The water treatment is working. I felt like it would get fixed, but it took some time and effort.

2/6: 74-97 at Boise ST. We expected a tough game but maybe not quite this tough. 31-56 at the half. 21, 7 for Shay, 16, 4 for Houk. Rough times.

Clue #4:

098 7657 64'3 921
64 65743 79 !4 #921
190'7 #5^4 *+ 64 #929^
*3=<^=24 9^ >921

Jed guessed a sweater. Wrong.

2/8: 109-90 over New Mexico. 56-38 at the half and we were never threatened. Not a lot of D in this one; it was a shootout. 25 for Tony Trax, 18, 8, 7 for Houk, 19, 8 for Jess Hunt. 11 TOs.

17-6, 8-4, alone in 3rd, 1 back of 2nd, 2 back of 1st. RPI #38.

(Answers to clues 3 and 4 on 2/13)

[Wayne23]

2/13: 78-80 at San Jose ST. Very tough loss. First, we blew a 14 point lead, second, 1-9 on threes, and third, a more than questionable call with .6 seconds left sent them to the line where they hit both ends of a one and one for the win. Hard to swallow this one. 18 each for Masi and Shay.

Clue #3:

Icy nose, icy toes
A spy's life battling the foes
In the snow, in the wind
Wanting to be warm again.

#4:

Now that he's old
He hates to be cold
Don't care if the color is purple or gold.

(Solution next)

Len put the clues together and decided it was about keeping warm. Since it wasn't a sweater, he decided to go with a blanket. Yep!

One more Scavenger hunt item to go. Len, Emma, Jed, and I have solved 2, Lana has solved 1.

2/15: 87-94 in OT at Nevada. We blew an 11 point lead and again tonight a bad call at the end of regulation did us in. .4 left, Masi made a clean block, no contact at all, but the whistle blew and the guy made both shots to take it to OT; it was #5 for Masi. That seemed to take the wind out of our sails and we just didn't have it in the OT. I got booted in the last few seconds when I told the ref who made the call that he was Nevada's most valuable player. The game was lost at that point and I really didn't care. The fact that he tossed me so fast convinces me that he knew he blew the call at the end of regulation. 22, 9 for Shay.

3 of our last 4 are at home.

Mato is healing faster than expected and will definitely play in our final reg. Season game and may play in the one before that.

2/20: 78-63 over Fresno ST here. We led by as many as 21. 25, 11, 5 for Masi. A remarkable 4 TOs.

We'll finish 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. With 3 to play, that's how it is.

Hunt item #10: The clues will be delivered one word at a time.

First clue: round

2/22: 73-72 at Air Force. They led by 18 early in the 2nd half. We finally got it together, but our only second half lead came with 1.1 to play when Houk dropped a three. He led us with 22. 18, 8 for Trax. 8 TOs. Mato will be back for our last 2, both at home.

78-68 over Wyoming. Tied at the half. 29, 4, 5 for Shay. 8 TOs. Mato had 8 and 9 in his return; the rust showed. I'm glad he'll have a couple of games before the post season.

Alone in 2nd place.

2nd clue: complex

3/1: 89-92 to UNLV here. We were down as many as 19. We had a chance to tie it at the end but missed a three. Both starting guards in foul trouble all night and Masi fouled out. We didn't play D.

We end up tied for 2nd, the #3 seed.

20-9, 11-7, RPI #48.

[Wayne23]

3/7: We play #6 Air Force. Beat them by 11 and 1.

3rd clue:multi-faceted

3/8: 78-60. Easy win. 25, 4, 5 for Houk, 11, 9, 3 for Masi. Mato has yet to have a really solid game since his return.

#2 seed UNLV in the semis. They beat us twice, by 4, then by 3.

3/9: 71-81. Disappointing, but UNLV had our number all season. We never led. 16, 15 for Mato, 12, 5, 6 for Houk.

Clue #4: Spoke

3/12: NIT? #47 RPI and we're in the NIT?

Oh well, #8 seed Bucknell, 19-12. We're #1 in the East.

3/13: 84-58. Never a game. 24, 4, 5, with 4 steals and 4 blocks for Houk, 15, 8, 3 for Mato, 9, 12, 5 for Bann.

#5 seed UConn, 20-14, in round 2. Looks like a tough match up.

3/15: 68-73. Close all the way, but we couldn't make the shots in the last couple of minutes. 19, 1, 6 for Houk.

3 starters graduating, Mato, Shay, and Bann.

4/3: #12 Syracuse is the champ.

4/4: Awards: Greg Houk and Fam Masi make the Mountain West 2nd team.

Would I move? With the right offer I would.

4/9: Nothing close to tempting.

4/23: I ask for a facilities upgrade.

No.

22-11, 11-7. Not bad for the first year in a new, tougher conference. Overall, for 5 seasons, 113-48, .702.

Clue #5: vast

(Solution on 5/1)

[Wayne23]

5/1: Recruiting class #270 but 2 of our 3 recruits were Jucos and they don't get figured in.

Things have been going well on Terra 2. Construction has been virtually trouble free for some time now and there have been only minimal mechanical or other issues in the dome and around the city.

Emma guessed the hub. She's right and she's the overall winner with 3 items solved.

6/5: Room for a transfer.

6/16: We get a PG who may help us but he's iffy.

6/26: 3 scholarships. We're only looking at bigs.

8/1: Today begins the murder mystery. It will take place in the holo in the village of Mayne. Everything related to the mystery and its solution will happen in this village of 15000. There are no clues given. We simply need to go to the village and investigate in whatever ways we can.

The murder: A 27 year old, Syla Barr, disappeared while jogging. Two days later her body was found with her throat slashed.

I start at the coroner's office. No signs of a struggle, nothing under the victim's fingernails. Throat was slashed with a knife with a serrated edge. Coroner thinks it was a large kitchen knife of some sort.

We're allowed one visit per week. So I'm done until at least 8/8. Even though it's weekly for us, it's a different time scope for the investigation; within that world multiple things can happen on the same day. And we're all detectives with the Mayne police force.

8/8: Syla lived alone, taught 9th grade English, had several close friends and was dating the owner of the local flower shop. He was at work at the time of her murder (approximately 6:30 a.m.). His assistant was there as well.

I will interview the florist, his assistant, and Syla's friends next.

8/15: The florist's alibi is solid. His assistant said they had a lot of work to do that morning. An early shipment of flowers was due at 6:00 and they had to make sure the flowers got into the coolers immediately. They had two weddings and a prom that week.